Basil and Chive Flavored Homemade Butter

Nope, this is not ice cream. I can't believe it's butter! This recipe is ultra simple; all you need is a food processor and heavy cream. I always make butter whenever I have leftover heavy whipping cream from making desserts (usually from making cake frosting).

The flavored butter can be used as a spread for sandwiches, in pasta or as a garnish for a juicy steak; the possibilities are endless. How you flavor the butter is up to you and what you have in your pantry. I had some sweet basil and garlic chives from my garden. You'll never waste your remaining cream again.

Directions

Blanch (dip for 15 seconds in boiling water then transfer in an ice bath) the basil, drain, then pat dry on a paper towel. Roughly chop.

Place the heavy cream in a food processor. Use the fastest speed to churn the butter. Pulse until the cream becomes buttery and creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients. Pulse one more time. Transfer to a butter crock (or a ramekin that you seal with plastic wrap) and chill it for at least 30 minutes before using. You can store this in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days.

Tips

Adding lemon juice prevents the herb from turning black. I heard on NPR that you could also add a pinch of ascorbic acid to keep herbs green.

I always make extra to vacuum-seal and store in the freezer for future use. Just place the extra in an ice-cube tray and freeze it. Transfer the ice-cubes 3 by 3 into bags with wax paper in between, then vacuum-seal and place back in the freezer. I think it's the best way to keep the same flavor without getting freezer burn. I keep them exactly the same way I would with extra pesto or meat tenderizer for poultry. You can store them up to 3 months.

When I was a kid, I visited a farm in Normandy where I learned how to make real, traditional butter. First, the cream should be raw (without stabilizers) and come from a grass-fed cow. You place a (clean) marble inside a sealable container like a cocktail shaker, and add the chilled heavy cream. - (In the olden days, the cream was placed in a sealed wooden bucket with a built-in centered beater) -. Cover and shake for about 10-20 minutes, until the there is cream forming and the marble is coated with cream as well. Strain the cream through a cheesecloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. The excess liquid is buttermilk to add a complex tang flavor to your dishes (use it for making pancakes, waffles, a cold cucumber soup, Ranch salad dressing or vegenaise which is a vegetarian mayonnaise that I make, I'll post the recipe soon). Wash the butter through tap water until the water is clear to ensure a sweet taste; otherwise it'll turn sour. Press and remove as much liquid as possible. The butter will be naturally yellow and fragrant.Transfer into a butter bell and chill. You can store this butter for up to a week. You'll approximately get half the initial amount. Voilà!

When I first saw the post, I thought - "Oh, yes, flavored butter, I must remember to make some when we have company". I never thought you'd actually make the butter. What a great idea! Another cooking project to try.

Jacqueline, thanks so much for your comment on my blog, and for reading! I'm so glad it brought me to yours--your blog is just beautiful, and your photography is stunning. I am so looking forward to trying some of your vegetarian Vietnamese dishes!

this is a good idea to make flavored butter...we make butter and ghee at home and white butter is a favorite at my place...my hubby likes garlic butter n i'll try this one cuz i have lots of basil in my garden..

Nicely done Jackie. I assumed you just made some compound butter with herbs, but you went all out and made it from scratch. And you know what, I almost never use up the heavy cream when I buy it and it ends up in the trash. Now I know what I will do next time.